Understanding policies through storytelling: Refugees and inclusion

Abstract This article summarises a storytelling process used to obtain data from five anonymised teachers as part of a doctoral thesis. The small story and story completion approach was used to gain insight into how teachers reconciled refugee/asylum seeker policies with inclusive practice. The process proved a useful way of enabling teachers to consider a range of influences on their personal and professional lives in a supportive environment. The teachers were able to reflect on challenges faced by refugee children and their teachers, including professional dilemmas. As well as providing useful data for the thesis, feedback indicated that the procedure enabled teachers to reflect on their practice, with some introducing changes which impacted positively on provision in their settings.